Darjeeling hills himalayas Nature Culture Leisure Walking Car Jeep Himalayan Village Homestay Trek Trekking Holiday Itineraries Package Tours of Kalimpong Lava Lolegaon Loleygaon,Samthar Farm House Culture Trek,Lepcha Teesta Valley trek,East Eastern Himalaya Nature Culture Leisure Walking Car Jeep Himalayan Treks Trek Trekking Holiday Package Tours

Nature & Culture Tours

| General Information | Nature & Culture Tours | Village Tours | Trekking Adventures | | Mountain Biking | Tourism & Political Map | White Water Rafting | Homestay Holidays | | Samthar Farm House | Gurudongma House |

• Available: All year round
• Best in Feb-May and Sept-Dec
• Max Altitude 2000 m

Escape to the luxury of the remote Samthar Farm House far from crowds. House is listed in Alastair Sawday’s Special places to stay in India. Relax in the midst of un- spoilt nature, Daily Nature and culture walking explorations. Walk through forests and flora, visit quaint villages, tribal people, and peep into their lifestyles of Lepcha and Nepali tribals.

Day 01: Kalimpong – Lava – Lolegaon: drive cum trek to Samthar Farm House, 1500 m

Drive along old trade route to Tibet passing through virgin forests to Lava, a small bazaar and village, at an altitude of 2100 m amidst forested hills. At Lava you can view the Rachela Pass, which opens into Bhutan, and visit the Monastery. Continue along the forest road to Lolegaon. Now you have the choice of taking one or both the Nature & Culture walks, described below.

If you choose walk 1, it starts after driving 6 kms to a village Buddhist gompa. It descends through forests, to the waist of the hill, continues through hamlets, terraced cultivation, and cascading streams to terminate at a village bazaar from where you ride your jeeps to the heritage forest ( described below) to start Walk 2. Trekking time is 3 hrs.

If you choose to take only walk 2, you will first drive for 25 kms, through unspoiled forests, with hardly any habitation. Enjoy nature at its best, and see the incredible variety of flora. After a picnic lunch and a visit to over 100 years old heritage forest, take a short down hill trek, whilst your jeep traverses a wilderness trail. Trekking time is 02 hrs, and you will walk through the heart of the forest, to a Tamang Village, cross a mountain stream, and reclaim your jeep, for the last 06 kms to the Samthar Farm House.for overnight.

Scenic and remote, The Samthar Plateau, at an elevation of 1500 Meters, is surrounded by  river valleys, terraced cultivation and forests. The inhabitants are a blend of various ethnic groups-Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepali. The original Lepcha tribals lived in the valleys. They were woodsman, and utilized the forest resources to live off the land. Knowing no religion, they worshiped nature spirits. When the Bhutanese ruled this land, many were converted to Buddhism. Latter the British rulers brought in Christian missionaries, who converted some of them to Christianity. Hinduism arrived with the Nepalese settlers, who also taught the Lepchas to farm the land. Today the ethnic groups are fused together in harmony. They have adopted Nepali as a link language, yet maintained, their diverse cultural identity. It is an ideal place to peep into lifestyles of this fascinating hill community. It also has diverse flora, well-developed mountain agriculture, forests, and river valleys, and offers breathtaking views of the Panorama of snows. The Samthar Farmhouse is an old Lepcha house built of stone and timber, converted by General "Jimmy" Singh for comfortable living, whilst maintaining its ambience. It has a lovely nature garden with scene.

Day 02: Samthar Farm House Culture Trek

Early morning sunrise view over great peaks.Weather permitting, you see the entire panorama of snows - Khangchenganga group of peaks, Simvo, Siniolchu, Lama Anden, Chomoyomo, and Paunhari, and then in an easterly arc the passes of Chola, Natula, and Jalepla, leading into Tibet. After breakfast, trek around the Samthar plateau for 03 hrs Return to the Farm House for lunch. After lunch another 02 hrs trek to nearby hamlets. Meet people in their homes and fields to get a glimpse of rural lifestyles.  Overnight at The farmhouse.

Day 03: Samthar Farm House - Lepcha Valley trek

Another chance to view the sunrise. After breakfast take a full days trek to remote Lepcha valley. See flora, birds, traditional Lepcha houses, and a 100 years old Lepcha temple. Meet people in their homes and fields. After picnic lunch return by a different route. Dinner and overnight at the Farm.

Day 04: Samthar Farm House - Teesta Valley trek - drive to Kalimpong, or Darjeeling, or Siliguri.

After breakfast trek down to the Teesta Valley, You will pass through forests, terraced cultivation and hamlets. It will take about 03- 04 hrs to reach the confluence of the Teesta and Rilli Rivers. Take a break for  a picnic lunch. After lunch cross the  Teesta River over a  suspension bridge to the national highway. Thereafter drive to Kalimpong or Gangtok or Bagdogra.

Notes

• Stay can be extended at Samthar Farm House as per requirement
• On Day 04 you can drive to Bagdogra in 4.30 hrs in time to board your departure flight

TOUR ENDS